After the success of shorter format cricket leagues like IPL, The Big Bash, Abu Dhabi T10, and The Hundred we now have a new sensation coming in called The Sixty Cricket. Cricket West Indies and the Caribbean Premier League have introduced a brand-new 60-ball competition where fans may vote on the timing of free hits and early sixes unlock an additional powerplay over.

This year, the Sixty will run for the first time from August 24 to August 28 right before the start of the new CPL season, with participation from three women’s teams and six men’s CPL teams.

It is the most recent in a string of initiatives taken by governing bodies and cricket authorities throughout the world to increase interest in the sport and bring in more money.

The 6ixty’s fascinating rules give the game an even more unusual edge over any other league. Let’s take a look at them

  • Only the first two overs of an inning will be subject to powerplay fielding restrictions, and each team will only be allowed six wickets.
  • The batting side will be allowed to initiate a second powerplay over at any point up until the last over of the innings, provided that they knock two sixes in the first 12 balls.
  • The idea of switching ends between overs, which continue to be six balls long, has been eliminated. 30 deliveries will be bowled by each team from one end, followed by 30 more from the other.
  • Additionally, a fielder will be dropped for the final over of the innings if a bowling side’s over rate lags and an allocation is not finished in 45 minutes. However, the largest change from previous cricket competitions is the audience vote for a random free hit.

The tournament’s conflict with the second half of The Hundred and its scheduling could worry ECB authorities. For 2022, a number of well-known West Indian players have secured contracts with clubs in the Hundred, including Kieron Pollard with the London Spirit, Andre Russell with the Manchester Originals, Sunil Narine with the Oval Invincibles, and Dwayne Bravo with the Northern Superchargers.

The women’s Hundred included Deandra Dottin and Hayley Matthews, who would also play a significant role in the introduction of The 6ixty. The 6ixty will be marketed as an exportable, internationally stageable product, according to the goal statement for the new competition that is available on its website.

We have seen a lot of countries taking initiative to launch their own league but this one from the Caribbean Island hits it out of the park. It has most innovative rules we have seen in cricket that engages with the audience. Let’s see how it goes.